Through Hell to Oblivion
by ShadowQueen5511
Summary: Grim, was just your ordinary military veteran with a haunting past. Than she get's thrown into this new world, Skyrim.
1. Chapter 1

I sat on a bus, jerking every so often we hit a bump in the road. Which was quite often. I sat quietly trying to ignore the stares i was getting. The bus wasn't full but there was enough people to bother me. They stared mostly because of my scrubs i was wearing. The blue camouflage blended in perfectly with the blue seats of the bus. Somehow i was still noticeable enough i got some looks. None of them dared to break the silence as i sat there looking at my hands. I decided to play with my green camouflage watch. Even as i did this i could feel the looks.

Sure i got them because of the uniform but also the worst part was the scares. They decorated my face quite obviously. I had a scared burn angled across my nose and to my left eyebrow. That was the ugliest one, the other ones were small. Sa small scar over the corner of my lip, another longer scar just under my left eye. My blond hair was pulled into a messy bun just keeping the hair off the collar of my shirt. Suppose i looked like i was haunted by war with the way i just casually played with my watch. Anything to keep from thinking about it. Thinking about it was worse. Worse than the scars that decorated my face.

Finally the bus came to a stop. I grabbed the black duffle bag at my feet throwing it over my shoulder as i got up. I walked down the aisle, even the bus driver looked at me through his rearview mirror. I ignored it and continued walking down the stairs off the bus.

From there it was a short walk. Down the sidewalk of a densely packed city. Cars buzzing past and there were a group of kids up ahead playing with chalk on the sidewalk. For a moment i thought about pulling my hat down just so i could hide my face from the kids. I was saved from my thoughts when a car honked beside me pulling over.

A red sedan and a cocky driver smiling at me rolled down the window. "You need a ride?" my friend asked and i nodded pulling on the car handle and sliding in, throwing my bag at my feet as i pulled the door close. "How was it? Everything you hoped for?" he asked and i leaned back looking over to my friend. He wore his casual cut off red t shirt and jeans. His blond hair slicked back giving me the perfect view of his bright blue eyes. A flawless smile that was contagious and i smiled a little at him. "Oh you know, got discharged 'honorably' How about you jake?" i asked and he laughed. When his laughter died it grew silent, more serious.

"Your mom was worried" he said focusing on the road ahead. "Sure" i groaned and looked at his dash. I cranked up the volume on the stereo which he turned back down just as soon as my hand drew away. "I'm serious grim, she was crying on me for about a week when she got the letter about what happened" he said and i closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the headrest. "And what about her? Is she doing any better?" i asked.

It grew silent once more. He drove about a block before he spoke again. "They said it's spreading" he said softly and i sighed. I knew this would happen. Cancer wasn't something that just magically disappear when you go across sea. I had to pay the bills some how, that was when the navy contacted me, gave me an offer i couldn't resist. Well it backfired since now i'm 'too damaged'. Still got the money, i guess that's all that matters now.

"How long does she have?" i asked and he glanced at me before his eyes returned to the road. "A month at best" he said. It went silent, i tried to concentrate on my breathing. Tried but failed to. The tears fell free as i received the news. My mother was a walking corpse. And i couldn't do shit. I tried, tried everything. Tried to give her the best i could give her, like she had done for me.

"When-" i started but the blaring of a horn to my right cut me off and as i looked to my right just in time to see a semi coming full speed at the car. My eyes widened and before i had time to react it hit and my head hit something causing me to immediately blackout.

I woke up laying in grass. My head felt as if it had been hit with a club. I forced my palms on the ground and pushed up. Standing in front of me was a man in leather armor, sword in hand and sneering at me. "Get up stormcloak!" he shouted at me. What? Before i could ask him what he was talking about i received another blow to my head from behind.

I woke once more, sitting on wood. Entirely uncomfortable and i groaned. My head felt even worse if that was even possible. I opened my eyes to find a man sitting across me. He was wearing some type of blue cloth with chainmail under it. He had long blond hair and bright blue eyes. Like Jake… but he was older. A man, not the young adult Jake was. His hands were bound and as i looked at my hands i found them the same. I looked around noticing i was sitting in a carriage. A man in leather studded armor held the reins but i couldn't get a look at his face. We were passing the side of a mountain with tall trees surrounding on all side of the stone road.

I looked beside me to see a man in furs, and gagged for some reason… he also had blond hair that was a shade darker then the man across from me. Yet this man was bound like the rest of us. Beside the man that looked like jake was a shady looking man with bags under his eyes. he was in rags unlike the other two men, he had this dark redish hair i want to say? It was hard to tell in the shadows of the mountain pass.

"Hey you" the man across from me shouted getting my attention immediately as i snapped my head to look at him. "Finally awake? You were trying to cross the border right? Walked right into that imperial ambush, same as us. And that thief over there" he said with a nodd of his head to the man beside him. The thief grumbled lowly "damn you stormcloaks" her growled out looking at the man in blue beside him. "Skyrim was fine till you came along, empire was nice and lazy… if they hadn't been looking for you, could have stolen that horse and been halfway to hammerfell" he all but growled out to the man in blue. I'm guessing he was a 'stormcloak'? I honestly believe i was in some comma. I would like to wake up now.

"You there" the thief said towards me getting me to jump a bit. "You and me, we shouldn't be here, it's these stormcloaks the empire wants" he said as if he was going to conspire with me to get out of this. I honestly didn't see the point. There were men on horses by the carriage and behind. There was no escape… why the hell didn't my imagination take me to a nice island? Why the hell was i in this cold hellish medieval land? Have to say it was doing a great job in getting me to believe half this shit.

The man in blue scoffed "were all brothers and sisters in binds now thief" he counter him. The thief shook his head opening his mouth to say something "Shut up back there" came from the driver cutting off whatever the thief had to say. I looked ahead once more to see we were coming up on a wooden fenced village of some sort. I could only make out the wooden gates from here but looked back to see the thief looking at the man in furs. He must have been of some importance. "What's wrong with him hu?" he said glancing at me to the man in fur's again.

"Watch your tongue! You're speaking to ulfric stormcloak!" he all but shouted at the thief getting him to jump. "The true high king" he finished with an edge still in his voice. Suddenly the thief's eyes widened. "Ulfric?" he spoke as if a ghost had spoken to him. "The jarl of windhelm?" he continued. He then glared over at this 'ulfric' "You're the leader of the rebellion, if they captured you… oh gods where are they taking us?" he all but whimpered in a high pitched voice. Gods? Surely there was only one god, even in medieval times. Well this was fucked up. I'd like to wake up now.

"And" the mand and blue began drawing my attention over to him now. "I don't know where we're going. But sovngarde awaits" he said. Sovngarde? "No" the thief shouted in panic. "THis can't be happening this isn't happening" he said shaking his head going into panic. I knew this state well. I reached over touching his knee "Look at me" i ordered him and he did with wide eyes on the brink of tears. "We don't know anything, let's not assume" i said and leaned back away. He nodded to me and the man in blue gave me a small nod. He looked back over to the thief. "Hey, what village are you from horse thief?" he asked. The thief got tense and scowled at him "Why do you care?" he asked getting defensive and sniffing as if he wasn't about to cry. I saw the mask of bravery. Saw it almost every day. I guess this was my way of coping with it. To help this man in this dream?

"A nord's last thoughts should be home" the man in blue said leaning on his elbows that he rested on his knees. "I… I'm from rorikstead" he said. rorikstead? I never heard of that. Where would my imagination come up with that? Did i know someone name Rorkie? Nothing came up in my head. And this was my head laid out in front of me? Right? All a figment of my imagination… so lets roll with.

From up ahead i heard a shout from one of the 'imperial' soldiers dressed in leather. "General tulis sir, the head's men is waiting" came ringing through the crisp air. Headsmen? Guess we are going to die. Well this is a short comma. I heard a more gruffy voice as we entered through the town gates. "Good, let's get this over with" and as i looked across from me over the Blue man's shoulder i could see a man in golden armor sitting on top of a horse. Must be the general. He was older, gray hair but clean shaved. He didn't resemble anyone i knew. Shouldn't these people though? Resemble someone i know? This was all in my head yet i couldn't recognize anyone.

The strangest thing so far was the women on a horse across from the general. she had yellow skin. Yellow skin. Her ears pointed as she looked over at us with a scowl. Her perfectly arched eyebrows were giving me a headache. How did she keep them looking that good. How come i couldn't get my eyebrows to look that good? How the hell was there beaty maintenance in this medieval time?

"Shor, mara, dibella , kynareth, akatosh, divines, please help me" the thief began to begged out. "Keep it together" i hissed over at the thief hoping the hard front would work better than the softer approach. The man in blue looked over his shoulder to see what i was looking at. "Look at him. General Tulis the military governor and it looks like the thalmor are with him" he said sneering at the yellow lady and the general. "Damn elves" he hissed before looking back to me. My eyes widened. Elves? Elves? Did he just say elves? What the hell was this? "I bet they had something to do with this" he said shaking his head, then he looked at one of the building we were going past. He sighed with a long breath. "This is helgen… i used to be sweet on a girl from here, wonder if velof is still making that mead with juniper berries" he said and looked down at his feet.

Then he looked at the walls with a grimace. "Funny, when i was a boy imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe" he said. I looked down at my feet, noticing i was bare foot. At Least these motherfuckers had shoes! I shook my head thinking to myself. Finally there was silence. I heard a small boy asking his father a question. The older man ushered the kid to go inside. I sighed, the horrors of war.

The carriage ahead of us pulled to a stop in front of a stone wall. Ours about to do the same. "Get these prisoners out of the cart! Get moving" a female voice broke out in barking order. Women in medieval were seen as equal? I actually am liking this. Aside from being bound and next to 'Ulfric' with his fancy shoes and gagged mouth. "Why are we stopping?" the thief asked in panic. I'm pretty sure we all knew were this was going. "Why do you think? End of the line" The man in blue said. The man steering the carriage pulled to a stop along side another carriage carrying more people in blue. 'Stormcloaks' i'm guessing they were all called in blue. Seeing as they were bound like us. The imperials in the leather seemed to be guarding us all vary closely.

"Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting" the blue man said to me with a small nod i sighed before standing up. Everyone else in the cart did the same. Ulfric being the first to step down onto the solid stone ground. "No! Wait!" THe horse thief cried out. "We're not rebels" he pleaded looking over to the soldier standing guard beside the cart. He just glared in response. The blue man behind me gruffed "Face your death with some courage, thief" he growled out and i couldn't help but agree. "You've got to tell them" he still was begging even as he stepped down onto the ground. There were two soldiers waiting for us up ahead, one, a women, clad in steel armor with a skirt. Sword at her him nonetheless. Next to the women who looked to be in charge, stood a man in leather armor and a skirt. He had wavy red hair that only reached to his shoulders.

It seemed as though people had gathered out of there homes and were leaning against the railings of there porches eagerly our left i could see the general in his fancy gold armor standing close to what looked like a priest but in orang robes and hood. Then the dreadful sight of a chopping block came to view, as well as the executioner brandishing his axe.

"We weren't with you! This is a mistake!" the thief continued to yell out on deaf ears. "Step twords the block when we call your name. One at a time" the women in steel shouted out. The man beside her pulled out a small book. As the man in blue dropped down beside me he mumbled "Empire loves their damn lists" he grumbled shaking his head slightly.

The man beside the captain spoke out the names. "Ulfric Stormcloak. Jarl of windhelm" he said and the man in furs, better known as ulfric stepped up and walked over to the executioner's block. As he walked the man in blue beside me shouted "It's been an honor Jarl Ulfric" he said proudly even though the imperial's sneered at him from their posts all around us. "Ralof, of riverwood" the man spoke out next. Ralof? That wasn't familiar either. The man in blue stepped aside the thief in front and made his way over to the chopping block. "Lokir of rorikstead" the man then said and the thief shock his head "No, I'm not a rebel. You can't do this!" he shouted. Then right before my eyes i saw the worst attempt to make a run for it. "Halt!" the women in steel shouted. We were surrounded and even as he dodged passed the women in steel he made it two feet before the woman sneered "Archers!" she shouted and behind her stood a man with a bow ready and aimed at the thief known as Lokir. "You're not going to kill me" Lokir shouted into the wind and i looked down knowing what would happen. With the whistling of an arrow piercing the air and and thud i knew what had happened.

Before flashed the same scene. But in the sand one mariane got up off his feet and tried to run. Even in the middle of the desert he tried to run. A gun shock cracked the dry air and there was the same thud. The sand ran red with blood.

"Anyone else feel like running?" the women in steel sneered as she looked directly at me. I showed no emotion, keeping my face blank. Even as pictures of my comrade falling in the sand played over and over in my head.

"Wait, you there. Step forward" the man now spoke nodding to me and i approached the spokesman. "Who are you?" he asked staring at me blankly. i frowned, Who was i? My mind ran blank for a moment as i stared blankly back at him. Like a deer caught in headlights i opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. I cleared my throat and tried again. "Grim, they call me grim" i settled with. It wasn't my real name but it was what everyone used to call me. Jack.. i wonder if he made it out alright.

"Well, you chose a bad time to come home to skyrim kinsmen" he breathed and wrote down something with the quill in his hand. He then glanced over to the woman in steel "Captain. What should we do? She's not on the list" he said looking at her for an answer. She scowled "FOrget the list, she goes to the block" she growled out and i sighed. Well this was one short hallucination within a comma. The man looked back to me with soft eyes. "I'm sorry. At least you'll die in your homeland" he said softly and i groaned. This was not my homeland. My home land was new york city. Not this… what did he call it… skyrim?

I sighed and followed the women in steel, over to the group of stormcloaks gathered around the block. There stood ulfric in his fur standing before the general just of to the side of the block. "Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in helgen call you a hero" he began his gloating with a proud and authoritarian voice. "But a hero doesn't use a power like the voice to murder his king and usurp his throne"

Oh that's what he did. The power of the voice? What did he scream at the 'king'? Ulfric grumbled something but it was muffled by his gag. "You started this war!" he stated and looked to his fellow imperial soldiers who stood close by and watching to make sure no one escaped. "Plunged skyrim into chaos, and now the empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace" he said so bravely. He reminded me of some of the generals i once meet. To proud to listen to his fellow soldier.

THen there was a screech that echoed the air. People looked up to the skies in confusion, i did as well but saw nothing. "What was that?" the man who had been reading of the list asked out loud. The general shock his head "Nothing, carry on" he growled as he took his place next to the women in steel. "Yes general Tullius" she said proudly. She then turned to the priest behind her "Give them their last rites" she ordered and the priest women nodded. Then the priest in the orange robe held up her hands.

"As we commend your souls to aetherius, blessing of the eight divines upon you-" then the guy beside me with red hair stepped forward. "For the love of talos, shut up and let's get this over with" he growled out before the priest could continue. What a brave man. Ready to accept his death. I respected him as he walked over to the chopping block. The executioner dressed in black and a loincloth stood with his already bloody axe. He wore this mask but it didn't cover his lips, only the top of his face and behind his head. I could still see the smirk that played on his lips as the man stepped forward. The priest scoffed and shook her head "As you wish" she mumbled and the man stood in front of the chopping block. "Come on i haven't got all morning" he growled and the women in steel walked up behind him. She put her hand on his shoulder and slowly forced him down to his knees. She then put her steel boot to his back and forced him to lean over on the chopping block. There was a basket for his head waiting on the other side of the block. He looked up at the executioner with no fear and spat "My ancestors are smiling at me, imperials… can you say the same" he growled out.

I looked down refusing to watch. I heard the crunch and something drop. Then the body fell over just into my sight. "You imperial bastards!" a woman shouted among us prisoners. The people gathered outside their houses then shouted "Justice!" "death to the stormcloaks" then the man beside me, ralof, the one with me in the cart, spoke. "As fearless in death as he was in life" he breathed out and i sighed. What the hell was this. Why the hell was i dreaming of this. Haven't i've seen enough death. Now it played in my head over and over again. "Next the nord in the rags" the captain called out pointing to me. First off bitch, this was military grubs. Not fucking rags.

Then that screech pierced the sky once more. Everyone looked up again. The man that was reading off the list to us spoke. "THere it is again did you hear that?" he asked sounding generally concerned. "I said next prisoner" she growled ignoring the man. The man then looked over to me "To the block, prisoner. Nice and easy" he said as if to cox me into my own death.

I held my tongue though and walked forward. Trying to ignore the body that was headless at my feet. I felt the women in steel, the captain, put her hand on my shoulder and i lowered to my knees accepting my fate. Then i felt her boot against my back and i leaned over the block looking up at the heads men. His face now grim as he knew he had a lot of work ahead of him.

Then something came out from the motions. I thought it was a shadow, my mind playing tricks on me. Then the giant shadow, that looked to be a… dragon? Landed on the stone watch tower in front of us. The headless men stumbled and looked back in time to hear the dragon roar and knock most people unbalance. Then someone shouted "Dragon!" and what i was seeing was a reality. As the giant black beast opened its gaws, then it's red eyes looked at me. I forced myself to get up away from the block.

"Hey Grim!" ralof shouted to me getting me to look up and over to him. "Get up! Come on, the gods won't give us another chance!" he said gesturing me to follow as meteors hit the ground. Fire erupted on almost every building. It was like hell was brought to earth… or skyrim i should say. I got up and followed him as we ran over to another watch tower in the corner of the village.

From there it was chaos. First i went up the stairs in the watch tower as ralof instructed me to do to see if there was another way out of here. Then the dragon poked a hole in the strong stone like it was nothing, it's face next to mine. As it opened it's mouth to breath fire i ran beside it, jumping on the dragon's shoulder and falling to the building below. I fell with a roll which was hard to get up from since my hands were still bound. From there i ran. Ran out of the burning building which smoke filled my lungs. I ran, and i ran avoiding the dragon that seemed to be following me. I ignored all the imperial soldiers. They were the ones that wanted to kill me after all. But then i saw Ralof again and he gestured for me to follow him into the stone keep. For safety. So i followed.

What ever conversation we had it went through one ear and out the other. My mind was foggy from all the smoke, next thing i know, ralof is stripping a body in the corner of the keep and giving me the gear. I looked like him now in the chain mail with the blue cloth wrapped around it. He gave me an axe and tried the door on the other side. He said it was locked and then we heard voices. The captain. Both me and Ralof ran to the sides of the opposite door and hid from sight as they walked through. I went for the captain driving the axe into the back of her neck. Killing her instantly as ralof got the wimp of a soldier that followed her.

We made our way through the other door and descended lower into the keep. We could still hear the screeching from the dragon and as we made our way to a hall the earth shook and the other side of the hall collapsed. Next thing i know i'm killing two more men as if my life depended on it. They were easy, even though i didn't know much about axe combat. My hand to hand combat from the military let me dodge around them and swing my axe at their necks. Ralof then told me to grab the potions in the barrel. So i did. Attaching them to my belt. I mean if this is going to be like any video game i played to get trigger happy then i was going to need them.

We fought our way through an underground prison, there we meet fellow stormcloaks that helped us overthrow the prison guards. Before we exited the room ralof suggested i pick a lock of one of the cages. There looked to be and i quote "dead mage" in there. So i picked the lock. Sadly it wasn't the first time i've done it either. Took everything in the cell, eveno the man's robes. I could feel this power radiating off them, i didn't know what it was but it felt powerful. So i took it. Put it in a bag that i found in the prison and tossed the backpack over my shoulder.

Then we entered this cave system more imperials guarding the way out, we made short work of them now that there was two more of us. I grabbed a bow off one of the corpses making a mental note to learn how to shoot. Then there were spiders. Giant fucking spiders. Me and ralof crushed them easily and it looked as though we were making our way to the exit.

Snuck around a bear that was sleeping close to the exit and then finally sunlight. From there Ralof told me to go to riverwood and he knew a place that would give us some supplies. At this point i trusted ralof with my life. We killed together, it's hard to go back on that. So i followed him to this town. The more we walked the more i learned about this made up place. Standing stones for one. He made me pick one. Which i just had to touch to 'pick' so i touched the warrior stone, i felt this energy surge through me as i picked it. I didn't know what it meant but i knew i was going to become one bad ass killing machine till i got out of this comma.

In riverwood i meet Ralof sister. She did give me suplies, as in beer or what they called 'mead' and other food and such for my travels. The best part was the map she gave me. She then asked me to go to whiterun and inform the jarl about the dragon attack. Yet first however i wanted to explore this place. I went back down the road to helgen to find an old mine were a guy was standing guard.

I was curious so i approached "What's in there?" i asked the man. He was wearing furs. Not like ulfric's furs but more of a fur cape with a fur skirt to hide his junk. He had this mohawk that i found a bit surprising for this 'age'. "Get out of here" he growled at me and i rolled my eyes and pulled the bow off my shoulder. "Do you mind if i do some target practice?" i asked him as i pulled out some arrows from my bag. I took my sweet time trying to line up the shot. I missed and hit the post beside his head. So close. He took out this rusted sword and started to approach me. I continue to take my time and draw back another arrow. This time i hit him in the shoulder. He glared and roared at me. I droped the bow taking out my axe and ducking under his wide swing and sending my axe into his back. He dropped with a groan and i sighed before rolling him over to get the arrow out of his chest.


	2. Chapter 2

Now the first few days went by in a breeze. Not a care in the world, killing what ever tried to kill me.. Archery became more of a necessity. For if i wanted to eat i would have to shoot straight.

I took count of everything i had every night. when i was awake, when i wasn't in fantasy land, i had a few things with me. One of the few things i had on me from my world, was a pen that i had shoved in my pocket that day, my dog tags that always stayed hanging around my neck even if they were loud and gave away my position. of course my scrubs i had been wearing the day i got here and lastly a pack of cigarettes that i was saving till i got really stressed. Which so far wasn't an issue.

I grabbed a blank journal from one of the caves i went through. I started writing down everything i did that day. Listing the adventures i had and the things i did. From killing, to eating a flower, i wrote it down to the detail.

It all felt so real. The leather cover of the journal, the pen in my hand but as i looked up to the sky, it was alienated, couldn't recognize any of the stars. The more i wrote the more i realized it was like i was living. Living in this world. Fears ended up creeping in after i was done with this honeymoon phase.

I ended up losing count of how many i killed. Maybe i was a mass murder now, but to be fair they all tried to kill me first. That was the only way i was justifying my actions in this coma after all.

The more i killed the less it mattered. These weren't real people, just a figment of my imagination. And here i was killing my imagination… What the hell did that say about me? The more choices i was given the more i tried to relate it to past things.

Sneak around the bandits or go in there charging? If i snuck around was i avoiding confronting my villains? Or was i killing more of my soul? Was it all just a test? The more i dwelled on it the deeper it got, there for, i tried to avoid it.

These were the fears and i wrote them too in the journal. It helped me keep track of my thoughts after all. My therapist taught me this technique. It was a way to cope with the horrors of war. I had one back home that i named every man, woman and child i ever killed. How, why and when. This journal wasn't bringing me to tears as i wrote it though. instead of coping with war i was coping with this new land.

After week one exploring and delving into dungeons, i finally walked into the village known as riverwood.

Crumbling coble stone walls covered with ivy greeted me at the entrance. A rushing river just off to the left, A small wooden bridge went across said river, leading to another landmass were a lumber mill was built upon. To my right was one of the first wooden houses with straw roof. An old woman was sitting on her porch with what looked like a tanning rack beside her.

The old women wore a yellow dress with a white cap on her head. "A dragon! I saw a dragon!" She crooked standing up and going to the railing.

The one from before? Did come back around here? I couldn't help but look up. Nothing, the skies were clear.

A young man came strolling down the cobblestone path in a yellow tunic and phale pants. His long blond hair reached his shoulder and he even had a small braid on his left side. What caught my eyes were his leather boots. I wanted those boots… "what? What is it now mother?" He asked sounding annoyed. arrogant prick was the vibe i was getting off him.

"It was as big as the mountains! It flew right over the borrow!" She cried and the young man rolled his eyes. He put his hand to his hip in almost a girly manor. "Dragons now is it? If you keep up like this everyone in town will think you're crazy" he scowled then walked past her and opened the door to what i assumed was there house. "And iv got better things to do than listen to more of your fantasies" he said and walked into the house. I glared at the door as it closed. No one should talk to there mother in such a tone. "You'll see it was a dragon! It'll kill us all and then you'll believe me" she hissed at the door then returned to her chair. I came to the porch and leaned against the railing as i stood across from the women. The railing i crossed my arms on the only thing separating us.

"I saw it too" i told the women "see! I'm not crazy!" She said with an exaggerated expression. i scoffed backing away. Maybe she was just a little bit. I then saw across the river a flash of blue. Ralof. I quickly went across the bridge to go greet him.

I jogged following as he and a women went over to a large tree stump. Ralof sat down on the stump and as he glanced to the women his eyes caught mine. He smiled and introduced me to his sister. She looked like a strong women. Blond hair like ralof but had part of it braided back. Then her husband who now was now joining us wearing a white tunic covered in sweat stains.

I let Ralof tell the story of how we got here. After it was all said and done ralof made it out like i was a hero. Killing spiders and imperials left and right. Which i did, quiet easily too. his sister Gerdur thanked me for saving Ralof's life then asked me to travel to the city of whiterun to get the jarls aid. I agreed of course and she then offered me some supplies.

With fresh supplies i headed off and continued my exploration of the land. About a crypt and a few caves latter i made it to the giant city surrounded by high stone walls.

I walked up to stone gate entrance, but what stopped me in shock were the cat people off to the left of the entrance. They sat at a campfire were there tents were set up. I half wanted to try talking to them, but then everything i wanted to ask them would be considered racist so i choice against it and ignored them.

Chose. Was i now ignoring the differences i had with other people? Just ignoring what was different? Not adapting?

I quickly pressed my first cigarette to my lips and walked over to one of the torches along the stone gate way. I ignored the looks i got from the cat people.

I made my way to the doors and saw men in similar clothing than me but with yellow cloth instead of blue. Un like me this man also had what looked to be scaled chestpiece underneath the cloth and over the chainmail. "Halt, city's closed with the dragons about" one of the men said as he folded his arms over his chest. A shield was on his back as well as a sword was at his hip. He wore this metal helmet that had a face guard so i couldn't see his expression only his eyes.

I took the cigar out of my mouth speaking out the smoke that tingled in my lungs "I have news from helgen" i said and he unfolded his arms. "Best go see the jarl then, but we'll be keeping an eye on you" he growled glaring at me for a moment before he went to unlock the wooden gates.

As i walked into the city i instantly spotted an imperial man standing by what i assumed was the female blacksmith. "We need more swords for the imperial soldier" he told her and i half wanted to start a killing spree. But that would be crazy, i'm not crazy. i'm perfectly sain. I just kill bandits and walking corpses i find in ruins. That wasn't crazy, that was doing the world a favor.

Or was i killing off my chances of waking up? I brought the cigarette back to my mouth taking another long drag. I needed to stop thinking this way.

Before i could continue trying to shut off my mind this large brutish looking green skinned man came up to me. "You there. The dawnguard is looking for anyone willing to fight against the growing vampire menace, what do you say?" he said and i blinked looking up and down at the men wearing this metal and leather armor and what do you know? Pants! Better yet he had this cool looking axe at his hip. Much better then my rusty iron one. "Vampires? Sign me up" i said with enthusiasm while keeping the cigarette balanced between my lips.

Speaking with a cigarette in my mouth was one of the many skills i learned while on deck of a frigate. Though it seemed everyone was ignoring what i was smoking.

the man smiled showing off his large teeth. "Ha. Isran's going to like you. Go talk to him at fort dawnguard, southeast of riften. He'll decide if you're dawnguard material" he said with a nod. I couldn't help but pull my map out of my back pocket. "Care to show me where?" i asked and he nodded and pointed to it as i held up the map. I pulled out a red pen from my pocket and marked it. He didn't question the pen, and i didn't question what the hell he was. Good enough for me. He then continued walking on out of the city. Vampires. Now i'm going to kill some vampires. Wonderful. Lets first talk to the Jarl about helgen.

The jarl was a big man, about my height but more muscled. He was wearing what i could only assume was fancy blue clothing with fur lining it. He had this women standing beside him in leather armor. Nothing of imperial decoration on it so i'm guessing she was just his bouncer. Or guard as i should say in this world. Then there was another man that was half bald except for the sides of his head. I was threatened by the dark skinned bouncer with red eyes and pointed ears. She pulled out her sword as if ready to fight me. After i explained i was here about helgen did she lower her sword but not fully putting it away. So again i had to explain how i was destined for the chopping block before i got a great look at this dragon. He gave me a pouch full of gold for my service then asked me to help his court wizard. I agreed following him over to his courts wizards little lab. The man was dressed in blue robes holding what i could only assume was a gem of some kind.

The jarl spoke for me introducing me and then he left leaving me and the court wizard to discussing what he needed. Turns out i already had the stone he was looking for. I also had the claw from that ruin but he said he didn't need or want it. So i kept it anyways. After handing him the stone the bouncer lady, or Irileth was her actual name, came back talking about a sighting of another dragon. She then suggested i go with her since i've seen a dragon before. This was shit advice but i went with it and agreed to go with her.

We went up the stairs to go to the war room where the jarl was waiting for us talking to one of the guards that had been at the watch tower. After they were finished his eyes drew to me. He gave he a sheild as a reward for helping his court wizard. He then asked for me to go with, which i had already agreed to with Irileth. But i agreed again and me and Irileth set out.

We went to a ruined watch tower that was made of crumbling stone and fire ablazing on practice dummies and some of the crumbling walls. We had a small group of guards accompanying us in there yellow cloth and chain mail. as soon as i reached the stone tower a guard came rushing out screaming about how someone took off once they got sight of the dragon. Then the screech came. It was unlike the one from before but i recognized it. And there from the mountains behind the tower flew a green dragon. It roared as it came souring this way.

The cigarette bud dropped from my mouth as i watched the dragon swoop down and land on the wall of the watch tower. "Well… Shit" i breathed as the the thing with large golden eyes fixed on me. For a moment the thing just studied me. It cocked its head to the side in almost a human like manner. Was this my inner demon? Maybe if i face it i can wake up.

Arrows rained on the dragon getting it to snap its head away from me and to glare at the guards shooting at it. It opened it's massive jaws and screeched fire out at the men. The Irileth used what i could only describe as magic, shooting electricity from her fingertips. Drawing the dragons attention away from the guards getting burnt alive. I had to watch her in awe at this magic, then snapped out of it. I ran up the crumbling stone wall where the dragon was i jumped with my axe in hand and climbed it's leathery wing. It tried to flick me off but i used my axe cutting into the thin leather of it's dragon throw its head back about to lunge at one of the soldiers as i made my way up to the dragon's back grunting at the lack of footholds on the smoothed scaled beast. I climbed up it's neck to get to the skull, then I drove the axe down on the dragon's skull and it roared trying to shake me off. As if just remembering i was climbing on it. Maybe it thought i would have fallen off.

I slashed down again and again till it eventually fell limp and fell down. After i climbed down the guards started hooting and howling at my display.

Then they stopped and i felt something hit me. I gasped and turned around at the source. The dragon was slowly burning away. This energy came from the dragon and to me. I felt the power as if it was now becoming my own. It felt like adrenaline being pumped into my body. Even with the fight over i found this renewed energy.

all that was left of the dragon where it's bones and scales. And what remained in it's stomach.

"One of the guards approached from beside me. "I can't believe it! You're… dragonborn" he breathed in awe. I frowned glaring over at the skeletal remains of the dragon. Dragonborn? "The hell's that supposed to mean?" i asked looking back to the guard.

"In the very oldest tales, back from when there still were dragons in skyrim, the dragonborn would slay dragons and steal their power" he explained and i looked to the other guards turning on my heel so my back was to the dragon's remains. They all nodded in agreement. "That's what you did, isn't it? Absorbed that dragon's power?" he asked and i shrugged. I felt stronger. No denying that. "You may be right" i admitted though this was all so hard to grasp onto. "There's one way to find out. Try to shout" he said and i rose my eyebrow at the man. Shout?

the only thing i could think of was this word on the wall of the crypt i went to. I could feel it in my bones so i shouted "FUS" i and the world quaked at my voice. From here started another path. Another journey.

first i collected the dragon bones and scales and went to the finest blacksmith in this city. Eorlund Gray-Mane, the rumors went, was the finest blacksmith in all skyrim. His forge was quite a walk up onto a hill he had made his forge on. When i met the man he was busy at work with making a sword of something, smashing his hammer down onto the blade.

"Eorlund?" i asked getting him to look up from his work. He had long white hair parted at the center of his head. Had a bushy white beard that covered his chin and then some. He was wearing a thin leather strap across his chest with a metal buckle at the center, and one small leather or hide shoulder piece. He looked pretty fit for his age.

"Aye" he answered and tossed the blade into the water bucket. "Can you make me some armor out of these bones and scales?" i asked putting down my bag and pulling the bones from them. He took them into his hands examining the material and looking at it from all angles. He nodded "Aye, i don't work for free" he said and i pulled some gems from my bag putting them out on the side table of his forge. I put all i had found while adventuring. "That enough?" i asked and he nodded. "Will take me a week at best" he said and i nodded "Thankyou" i said and he gave me a short nod back. As i turned on my heel i felt the ground shake and heard through the sky "Doviikin!" i stopped looking to the empty blue sky. What the hell was that?

I ignored it and then went back up to the jarl's giant estate and talked to him about the dragon. He told me the people who shouted into the sky were the graybeards. They were summoning me to high hrothgar. Though i could careless at the moment.

He then gave me a new axe. It was a steel axe, instead of the rusted iron one i had. i took the axe proudly as he then claimed me as the thane of whiterun for helping defend its home. He also gave me a house which his steward, the half bald man, would talk to me about.

From there i told the steward about all the places i cleared out. Should have gotten a lot of gold pieces from that. Gold he didn't have, so we settled on him just giving me a house here. Sounded nice if i was going to be in this coma for a while.

spent some of the day with the court wizard to learn about this magic stuff. I could successfully summon fire at my fingertips. It felt as if i were dreaming again. Nothing quite felt real. But then i would feel. Feel the heat from the fire at my fingers. Hear the man in the blue robes congratulate me on getting the basics down. It was hard to tell if i was dreaming or not.

I tried not to dwell on it and decided to learn of enchantments next. Luckily i had some knives that had some enchantments on them and learned from that. After that it was probably late at night when i was walking back down the steps of the hall to the giant doors. A women approached me.

She was wearing steel armor with big shoulder plates. Her brown hair was braided like a jedi on her left side. She had a shield in her hand and a bow and arrow on her back. Not to mention the sword at her hip. "The jarl has appointed me to be your housecarl. It's an honor to serve you" she said with a small nod to me. I stared at her blankly for a moment. "And you are?" i asked. "I'm Lydia my thane" she said. My thane? Oh right, was the thane of this place… or whatever. "Ready for an adventure?" i asked her with a smirk and she smiled back "it will be my honor to protect you" she said putting her fist to her chest. I laughed "Just call me Grim, not that thane thing" i said and like that we walked out of the hall together.

All night we explored around Whiterun. Hunted a deer together and ate venison around the small camp fire. The sun was just coming up when i was beginning to doze off sitting with my back against a log.

I sat there trying to figure out who she could represent in my life. My mother was the only thing that came me. She was here to protect me and that was what my mother always tried to do despite the trouble i would always get in… she wasn't old enough to be my mother though she did seem to be a bit older than me.

Maybe she was a representative of me. One were i thought i could save the people who weren't worth saving in the end.

"Your oftly strange" Lydia said as she sat on the log beside me. "Not from around here" i said and yawned. I pulled my pen out from under my armor and took the jurnal off my belt. I began writing today's events as Ludia cooked some rabbit over the fire. "You write?" lydia asked me and i glanced up to her, her face was illuminated by the fire light. "It's how i cope" i admitted and she seemed taken back by that. "Cope with what?" she asked. I knew she meant well, she was too sweet to mean anything harsh by that. But it felt a bit personal. Maybe i should open up more though. I mean if this was all just a figment of my imagination shouldn't i be honest with myself?

"War, death, living… take your pick" i said and sighed.i put the journal down as it seemed like we would be making a discussion out of this.

Her face softened as she then looked back into the fire. "This war will tear all of skyrim apart, starting with the youth" she said and i hummed. It wasn't the war i was talking about but it was too complicated to explain. I doubt she would even believe me if i tried. "Ya… i joined when i was eighteen… spent three years at sea. Then the ship was attacked, they took most of us prisoners" i said using the simplest terms for what happened. I then pointed at my face "They made me the example if anyone stepped out of line" i said and looked to the fire. It softly ate away at the wood. "I don't mean to pry but… i've never seen a weapon leave that kind of scar" she spoke softly. It was a fragile topic but if i was going to share my story it might as well be all of it. "They poured oil on my face, then lit it up" i said hoping she knew what 'oil' ment. I wasn't quit sure what was labeled in this world. "Do i want to know who did it?" she asked grimly and i shrugged. "They're dead now, doesn't matter. If you want to hate someone for me, hate the cruel world we live in" i said and leaned my head back against the log and closed my eyes.

"That will never happen again on my watch" she said proudly and i smirked opening my eyes once more to the shrouded darkness that was the sky. "Thanks" i breathed. It was nice to have someone to watch my back again.

I continued to write after that and we sat in a comfortable silence. When the food was done i was about finished with writing the day's events. We ate and i laid back on the grass close to the fire.

It was time to shut my head off. Too much thinking, too much talking. "You should sleep, i can take watch" she offered and i nodded. For once i didn't have to sleep with one eye opened. It felt nice as i began to drift off.

"Did they give you a 'i'm a creepy old man' vibe?" i asked as me and lydia left High Hrothgar. At this point i was taking this whole situation with a grain of salt and heavy sarcasm in a way to cope with this world. I was out of cigarettes and it's been a few weeks, there for my hands shook a bit and i couldn't quite focus. There for my sarcasm shone best.

I was really dreading the walk down this dreadful mountain. I mean i thought the frost troll was enough but apparently not. I was honestly considering sledding down. It seemed a much funner way then just walking down. "They have interesting ways" lydia said.

I groaned as we began to walk down the first flight of stairs. "I swear if i don't have killer thighs after this i'm going to be pissed, seriously how long have we been walking for?" i asked and she sighed. "Well if you hadn't stopped at every cave, and wanting to go on an adventure, we'd have been here a lot sooner" she said and i sighed once more. "It was fun" i argued.

"Getting covered in spider blood is hardly what i'd call fun" she said and i shock my head "i'm surprised that didn't wake me up" i mumbled more to myself. Seeing spiders in dreams usually woke me up real quick, especially that big one. "Let's go to riften, we haven't explored around there yet" i said as i pulled my map out of my back pocket. "What about your armor from Eurlan?" she asked. What a great point. My dragon bone armor should be done by now. "True… alright we'll head back to whiterun, then do this quest from the graybeards" i said and stopped as i looked to the right off the cliff. Down below i could clearly see whiterun. "Let's go down this way" i said pointing off the cliff. Lydia laughed for a moment. Then saw i was serious. "Grim, no" she scolded. "Grim yes, it'll be fun trust me" i told her as i grabbed the shield off lydia back.

Since i had the backpack with food and supplies and my bow, i asked lydia to carry my shield for me. She was more than happy to do so… sarcastically of course. She always had her shield in her hand anyways so what was so bad about mine being on her back right? She fed me some line about being sworn to carry my burdens.

"Ready for some sledding?" I ask putting the shield down at the edge puttin my left foot on it. Careful not to put any weight on it just yet. "What?" lydia asked walking over to the cliff. I pointed down the steep slope that only had few trees. "We can do it, might be easier for you if you sit on your shield, just leen to control it" i suggested as i put my right foot on the shield and it tilted forward. "See you at the bottom?" i said with a smirk. I mean this was just a dream, i could live a little bit. "Wait what are you-" she didn't get to finish as i was already sliding off.

It started out slow but then it got ste. I went faster, and then it was lot more steeper than it already was. I narrowly avoided a rock by leaning over to the left. As i leaned over to the side i found myself losing balance and touched the steep side as if to help myself but the snow that passed through my fingertips felt like fire and i pulled away. Then the trees came and i found myself pushing on how to snowboard to its limit.

It started easy just one tree then there were two then there were three and then there was one with a rock which i skid right off of. I went flying. Quiet literally. The only thing i could see was the steep drop. "Shhiitt" i breathed out and then another tree came just my luck. I couldn't do much to steer so i was going straight at it. I lifted the shield up and held it with both hands on the side. It hit the shield first but the impact on my legs felt like getting my legs run over by a semi.

Then i fell to the ground and hit the ground running than i tripped. Fell on my face into the snow. At least it was soft. Yet still my body carried momentum rolling me into a flip and as my body rolled, my back hit a tree and i hissed with pain. Rolling over onto my side and looking up. I didn't see lydia. Some housecarl she was. I slowly got up and stretched and then went in search for my shield. I walked around for a while and found it next to a tree farther away. At that, i walked the rest of the way down.

It was a short walk from there to whiterun. I mean i snowboarded most of the way. Oh that's what i should do! Make a snowboard! Leave a few up there since i have a feeling i'm going to be visiting the hermit old men a lot. Oh and fucking heelys, i'm bringing those back! Just as soon as i figure out how to actually make stuff… i'm sure that black smith women in whiterun will help me… hopefully.

An iron dagger and a hide helmet latter i got the basics of crafting down. And just as i finished the hide helmet and refined it, lydia came walking through the gates of whiterun. "Look who finally made it" i shouted at her and she shock her head "I'm surprised you're alive" She scowled at me and i laughed. "I'm the dragonborn! I can't die" i laughed out. She sighed hevily "One day your cockyness is going to bite you in the arse" she told me and i continued to laugh.

"When it does i hope i'm awake for it" i said meaning the double meaning of my words. But she didn't get it and cocked her head to the side and i shook my head waving her off. I then looked to Adrianna, the female blacksmith down here by the gates of whiterun. Her hair was pulled back probably to help her work better. She was a 'redguard' as people around here said. Really her skin was just tanner with a reddish tint to it. Not that noticeable of a tint though. "Only practice will make perfect" she told me as i handed her the iron dagger and hide helmet. "Keep it" she insisted. "Thanks" i said truly meaning it. Even if this was just a imaginary world, I could still learn a thing or two.

Me and lydia then head off down the street to the market. I gave lydia my pack and told her to sell anything we didn't need and i went off see eorlund gray-mane.

I made my way up the stairs to the hill he kept his forge at and there on the side of his forge was my armor. "Beautiful" i commented and he looked up from the book he was reading as he sat next to the armor. "One of my finest works" he said nodding to me. I then proceeded to take off the stormcloak armor off and put on the heavy dragon bone armor. It fit like a glove, i didn't want to question how he knew my size so i kept to myself on that part and sold my old armor to him getting a pretty piece of gold for it.

Now walking in the heavy armor i felt ten times heavier and every movement was a fight on its own. Though from my time in the military i knew this would become more like a second skin with time. I sighed and continued my journey of being dragonborn.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I… it's true isn't it? You are dragonborn" Delphine breathed as i absorbed yet another dragon's soul. I sighed heavily and glanced from the remains to the women at my side. She was dressed in leather armor and had this katana like blade at her hip. Her long blond hair was tied back much like my own. "I owe you some answers don't i?" she mused and i shrugged. "We'll if you weren't so secretive i wouldn't have questions" i told her and Lydia began to loot the dragon remains as we talked.

"We'll go ahead" she said crossing her arm and shifting her weight to her right foot. I went with the most basic question. "Who are you? What do you want with me?" i asked . she sighed heavily looking over at the skeletal remains of the dragon then back to me. "I'm one of the last members of the Blades… a very long time ago, the blades were dragonslayers, and we served the dragonborn, the greatest dragonslayer" she said and i nodded. Made sense. So they were some sort of cult that i was supposed to lead? I mean, i'm dragonborn and she is a Blade? She should be my bitch. So far she wasn't acting like it. I swear if she's going to mentor me or something i'm going to make a gun, and shoot myself in the head. Speaking of which i probably should make a gun. Make some gun powder… oh god what was the recipe for that? I used to know. Like the back of my hand i used to know.

"For the last two hundred years, since the last dragonborn emperor, the blades have been searching for a purpose… now that dragons are coming back, our purpose is clear again. We need to stop them" she said. She left out the part where she was technically my bitch. I rolled my eyes and sighed "Our next move then?" i asked. Maybe if i figured out this dragon crisis i could wake up. Solve this world's problems and then i won't be here anymore. Yet if this was all just a dream why was i living? Eating, sleeping, breathing… shouldn't i be… i don't know, not hungry in a dream? Or maybe when ever i ate i was getting food injected into my stomach by a tube in a hospital. I shivered at the thought of going through that again.

"The first thing we need to do is figure out who's behind the dragons. The thalmor are our best lead. If they aren't involved, they'll know who is" she said drawing me back from my she paused studding me for a moment. I frowned "Thalmor, who are they again?" i asked.

"The faction that rules the aldmeri dominion. The ones who almost destroyed the empire during the great war, thirty years back. There's no worse enemy to humankind in tamriel. The empire barely survived the last war. The thalmor doesn't intend to lose the next one" she said a bit bitterly. The yellow skinned elves. That's who she was talking to. I haven't killed that many of those. Most bandits were humans, or dark elves. Some cat people but not that much, same with those lizard people.

"So what makes you think the Thalmor are bringing dragons back?" i asked. I mean, it was clear the giant black dragon, was bringing them back from the dead. How could he be linked to the elves? No one can control a dragon from what I've seen. "Nothing solid. Yet" she said. "But my gut tells me it can't be anybody else" she admitted .

"The empire had captured ulfric" she then explained. "The war was basically over. Then a dragon attacks, ulfric escapes and the war is back on" i could see her point. If this civil war continued then the empire would be distracted, the elves could attack at any time and take down the empire once and for all. Skyrim no doubt would be next. "And now the dragon are attacking everywhere, indiscriminately. Skyrim is weakened, the empire is weakened" she said and i nodded. I see where this was going. "Who else gains from that but the thalmor?" she asked pointing out the obvious. So they were a problem. The question was how do we find out. "So, we need to find out what the thalmor know about the dragons. Any ideas?" i asked.

"If we could get into the thalmor embassy… it's the center of their operations in skyrim. Problem is, that place is locked up tighter than a miser's purse. They could teach me a few things about paranoia" she mumbled. "So… how do we get in?" i asked her the million dollar question. She sighed "i have a few ideas, but i'll need some time to pull things together. I'll meet you in riverwood. If i'm not back when you get there, wait for me. I shouldn't be long" she said and from there we parted ways. I went over to Lydia.

"No way in hell am i go back to riverwood. Let's join up with the dawnguard, i want to hunt vampires" i said enthusiastically as soon as Delphine was out of earshot. Lydia sighed "As you wish my thane" she said but i sensed the sarcasm. "It won't be long. Plus we can kill more dragons on our way, win win for the people of the rift" i argued. I sensed she wasn't so thrilled about vampires. "Scared of vampires?" i teased and she stood up standing tall and shook her head. "No, just not so thrilled as you are. They're vicious creatures. One scratch and you can be like them" she said and i shrugged "Good thing we have armor" i said hitting my bone chest plate with my fist. Then i turned on my heel "To fort dawnguard!" i said and began walking down the trail. Lydia sighed but followed as always.

Four days later we found the small cave that had been marked on my map. The fort was in a cave? I was a bit disappointed. Lydia just shrugged and suggested we go further than to make assumptions now. I sighed but continued on anyways through the passage.

I was a bit surprised when i exited the narrow rock passage it opened up. Before me was a path down to a small lake. There looked to be a boy waiting at the end of the path. He wore a green tunic with a leather belt that had an axe attached to it.

He jumped in surprise as i walked passed him. Over our time adventuring, both me and Lydia had learned to silent our footsteps. Though she still stepped on branches as we were traveling. This boy however did not, his feet sounded loudly behind me. By instinct my hand went to the dragon bone axe at my hip. I could feel Lydia scowled at me for doing so.

"Oh hey there" the young nord spoke to me, following at my heel. I lowered my hand back to my side and glanced over at him. Short blond hair that reached his shoulders. Golden eyes that complimented the hair but i could see his uncertainty. His voice even wavered as he spoke to me. I tried to not to glare but my resting face was a bitch face.

"You here to join the dawnguard too?" he asked following me as i walked the path. I grunted and he found this encouragement to continue the conversation. "I heard what's going on. The vampires, the dawnguard, all of it. I wanted to help, so here i am" he said as if he was going to explain to me he his whole life. It wouldn't be the first but at this point i was getting sick of this story. I already had to solve a dragon crisis, i already had a lot on my plate. Maybe i shouldn't join up with the dawngaurd, it would just mean more to do… but here i am.

"Hey, Uh" he started and i stopped and turned on my heel to face him. He jumped a bit then fiddled with his fingers looking to the ground. "Don't tell Isran i was afraid to meet him by myself, not the best first impression for a new vampire hunter, i guess" he said softly and i grunted in acknowledgment. From behind the boy Lydia was walking silently behind us. She gave me a look that said 'play nice'. Yet as i looked at the boy he didn't even have a hair on his chin much less his chest, how could he be a vampire hunter? I've seen green recruits get killed by the most simplest of tasks. I hope he survives though. There was enough death surrounding me.

I turned on my heel once more and continued up the path through the crisp fall air. The whole rift seemed to be stuck in the season of fall. Everywhere else was stuck in a season as well. Sure it rained and got foggy or snowed, but it never changed. As we walked i saw a elk grazing in the field to our right. The boy jumped at the sight of it. I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

To our left was a large mountain side. I found myself wondering where the hell this fort even was. We crossed another rock pass and as we came clear of the rock on our right i saw the fort. Tall smooth stone tower, It looked old, Abandoned but well built. It had these towers out stretching the fort, but bridges connected them to the base of the fort. We then came to a wooden fence, half built and with supplies to continue building it next to it. "Where is everybody? This place looks almost deserted" the boy said and i grunted in response once more. I hope he knew i wasn't going to participate in whatever conversation he wanted to have. We walked around one of the towers and followed the path up the small hill.

We then reached a small camp, where i saw the orc that had approached me all but a week few weeks ago, shooting a crossbow at a large tree stump a fire just of to his right burning wood slowly. A large supply of firewood was of to his other side as he practice shot. The orc's pointed ears twitched as he heard the boy's footsteps behind me. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at the sight of me. "Well, well. You made it. Good, Isran's in the fort. He'll get you sorted out" he said pointing up the path.

" is that a crossbow?" i blurted out. Even though, clearly it was a crossbow, i was just wondering if they were calling it anything different here in skyrim. He smirked and offered it to me. "Surprised, not many know what these are. Dawnguard specialty. Why don't you give it a shot?" he asked and i took the crossbow, it was already loaded. I brought it up and leaned into the crossbow to line up my sight on the tree stump. My fingers ghost over the trigger.

Flashes of images played in my head. Wide eye little fisherman's boy looking at me through the sights of my gun. I pulled the trigger.

The thumping of the bolt hitting the tree stump knocked me out of it. I gasped trying to ground myself. I smelled the burning wood, heard it's crackling, felt the smooth trigger of the crossbow, tasted the crisp air on my tongue. Then i studied my bolt on the tree. It looked pretty stuck in. someone put there hand on my shoulder getting me to jump and remind myself i was with the orc. "Nice shot, you'll be putting down vampires with that in no time" he said with a smirk and i nodded trying to justify myself. It's been a full year since that incident, why was it coming back? Better yet why didn't it happen when i was actually killing people? It was the trigger. It was my trigger. How ironic. I handed the cross bow back to the orc. "Prefer letting them meet my axe" i said and he nodded "If you ever need one-" he started and i quickly pointed to the boy behind me with the jerk of my thumb. "How about him" i suggested and as the orc laid his eyes on the boy i could practically feel the boy whimper at the sight of the strong orc.

I quickly walked up the path leaving them to it.

"Grim" Lydia called to me getting me to stop. "You alright?" she asked. She seemed to notice that little incident. I couldn't say i was surprised we did fight together, she knew me better then i knew myself. "Just a ghost" i said with a smirk hiding the fact i was still a bit shaken. She sighed as if she knew. "Alright" she said letting it drop.

I then continued to walk around up another hill and met another man in similar armor as the orc but steel shoulder pads on both his shoulders. He had short brown hair and a scruffy beard. Something almost every nord sported, except of course, the boy i had just meet in the green tunic.

"New recruits, hm. Isran will decide if you've got what it takes. Go on, he's right inside" the man said nodding to me. I walked passed him holding my tongue to keep from shouting at him. Quit literally too. I would send him flying, then ask if he thought i wasn't good enough.

As i pushed open the door and walked in, i seemed to be walking into another conversation. The man name Isran, who i only assumed he was since he wore the dawnguard armor. He must have been a red guard with his tan skin, he had a long bushy beard that covered down most of his neck, yet his head cleanly shaved. He had a war hammer on his back. Across from him a man in robes. The top half of his robes were black as the rest went into a light gray color. He was also bald except for the sides of his head kind of like a monk. "Why are you here ,Talan?" Isran asked his voice deeper and more gruff than i expected. I quietly walked into the room.

The room was circular in shape, cobwebs about everywhere but there was a grated ceiling letting in light from above. Lighting the circle room, just enough to see the dust about everywhere. There was a hallway in front and on both sides lit by candles . the smooth stone seemed sturdy and well built, not a sign of weakness in the old stone.

"The vigilantes and i were finished with each other a long time ago" Isran growled out. Vigilants? Daedra hunters? Or so i heared. Killed all 'abominations' with stendarr's mercy. I meet a few on the road before, killing vampires or werewolves mostly. "You know why i'm here" tolon said back getting isran to glare. "The vigilantes are under attack everywhere. The vampires are much more dangerous than we believed" He said all but pleading with his eyes to the harsh man. "And now you want to come running to safety with the dawnguard, is that it?" Isran sneered at him. "I remember keeper carcette telling me repeatedly that fort dawnguard is a crumbling ruin, not worth the expense and manpower to repair" Isran said as if quoting this 'keeper' from the vigilants. "And now that you've stirred up the vampires against you, you come begging for my protection" he said folding his arms and shaking his head.

Tolan stepped closer. "Isran, carcette is dead" he said softly his voice haunted by what he's probably seen. this got the harden man to be taken by surprise. "The hall of the vigilants… everyone… they're all dead. You were right, we were wrong. Isn't that enough for you?" he said softly looking for a shred of decency in Isran. Finally the man sighed heavily dropping his arms. "Yes, well… i never wanted any of this to happen. I tried to warn all of you… i am sorry, you know" he said speaking equally as soft.

If i had my phone i would take a picture, #bromance#thatssogay. Lydia has caught me many times using my world slang and she gets confused by it. So i keep it to myself.

"So who are you? What do you want?' isran then snapped at me getting me out of my day dreaming of what filter i would use for the picture. "I heard you were looking for vampire hunters" i said putting on my emotionless mask as i saw him do the exact same. The kindness i had just witnessed covered up by a steel mask and glare.

"You heard right. I'm glad words finally starting to get around. But that means it won't be long before the vampire start to take notice as well" he said and with a sigh. He knew it was coming to this anyways. "What can i do to help?" i asked getting straight to the point. "I need someone out in the field, taking the fight to the damn vampires, while we're getting the fort back into shape…" he said and i nodded. I could definitely go exploring again. "Tolan was telling me about some cave that the vigilantes were poking around in. seemed to think it was related to these recent vampire attacks" he said. Then he looked over to his friend "Tolan, tell her about, what was it, dimhollow?" Isran asked. Tolan nodded "Yes, that's it. Dimhollow crypt. Brother Adalvald was sure it held some long lost vampire artifact of some kind. We didn't listen to him anymore than we did Isran. He was at the hall when it was attacked…" his voice trailed off as he looked to the ground.

"That's good enough for me. Go see what the vampire were looking for in this dimhollow crypt. With any luck they'll still be there" Isran said and i nodded and turned on my heel ready to walk back out. "Feel free to poke around the fort and take what you need. There isn't much yet, but you're welcome to anything you can use" he said making me stop. Looking around seemed like a good idea.

"I'll meet you at dimhollow. It's the least i can do to avenge my fallen comrades" Tolan breathed and i nodded walking off into one of the hallways to find some supplies. Lydia silently followed me around.

After we finished looking around and taking what was useful i began out on i made for the doors. "Wait" Israns deep voice made me freeze and glance over my shoulder. "Why don't you leave your friend here? You and Tolan should be enough to take care of… whatever it is" he said and i looked to Lydia. She didn't seem all to thrilled for the idea. I shrugged "Ya, me and Tolan got this" i said and she narrowed her eyes at me. "I prefer to be at your side" she said defensively and crossed her arms all but glaring at Isran now. "As your thane i command you to help Isran while i'm out" i said using in authoritative voice but Lydia saw right through it. Yet still she was honor bound. She closed her fist putting it on her chest as she nodded. "As you wish, my thane" she said with an edge. I smirked "I'll get you a sweet roll when i'm out" i said teasingly and she gritted her teeth. I laughed turning on my heel and walking out the door.


End file.
